CRM & Sales · head to head
Apollo.io vs Clay
The short version
- Only Apollo.io has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Apollo.io everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set; Clay two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently
- They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Clay covers Data enrichment.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and Clay actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM & Sales).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Apollo.io
- Contact database
- Email finder
- Lead search
- Automation
- Engagement tracking
- Reporting
- Outlook
- Gmail
Only in Clay
- Data enrichment
- Contact management
- Workflow automation
- Integration
- API access
- Zapier
Both cover
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Slack
- GDPR
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- English language support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apollo.io
- Lead generationnot Clay
- Prospect researchnot Clay
- Sales automationnot Clay
Clay
- Enriching prospect lists from multiple data providers in one tablenot Apollo.io
- Building automated outbound research and outreach workflowsnot Apollo.io
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apollo.io
- Everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set
- Plans described as unlimited are capped in the fair use policy at 10,000 credits a month for non-paying accounts
- Connecting a mailbox that is not Gmail or Microsoft requires a paid plan
- How many records can be selected at once varies by tier
- Running out of credits means buying more rather than waiting for a reset
Clay
- Two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently
- Data credit overage is sold at a 30% premium over the plan rate, so exceeding the allowance costs more per unit than planning for it
- The free plan allows 500 actions, 100 data credits and 200 rows per table
- The entry paid plan starts at $167 a month, and both paid prices are starting figures rather than fixed
- The free plan cannot buy overage at all, so hitting the limit stops work rather than billing for it
Pricing, plan by plan
Apollo.io
Free- FreeFree
- Basic contact search
- Limited searches
- Starter$49/month
- Everything in Free
- Advanced search
- Email finder
- Professional$149/month
- Everything in Starter
- Automation
- Advanced analytics
Clay
On request- Pricing upon request$undefined/month
- Data enrichment
- Integration
- Support
Which should you pick?
Choose Apollo.io if
- You need contact database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want email finder.
Questions people ask
- Is Apollo.io or Clay better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Clay at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Clay?
- Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and On request for Clay.
- Does Apollo.io or Clay run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Apollo.io for free?
- Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clay starts at On request.
- What is Apollo.io best used for?
- Apollo.io is most often used for lead generation, prospect research, sales automation. Of those, lead generation and prospect research are not what Clay is typically brought in for.
- What can Apollo.io do that Clay cannot?
- Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Clay covers Data enrichment, Contact management, Workflow automation, Integration. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, GDPR.